Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-04-28
OUR LEGISLATIVE LETTER
LAST Aors OF THE LEaIsLATURE
OF 1882.
Representative Temple Scores q rri-
umph ia she Matter OF lhs Kenton
Oharser--The Telephone Biil--Gh
Rpcsker,s Farewell.

as though the clouds were paying tribute OF
tears 70 Its memory. The hour Of demise
was $50 O'Clock.
The day has been marked byoonsiderable
work In the way OF winding up odds and
ends OF legislation, as will appear from an
inspection OF the detailed report OF pro-
oeedings. The big event was the killing Of
the House High License bill. DR.. Cooper
called the measure up In the Senate and
moved that It be indefinitely postponed.
The speaker put the question; there were
two or three "ayee'' In response, and then
the corpse was lowered into the most con-
spicuous tomb In the senatorial cemetery.
THIS action leaves the liquor laws OF the
state precisely as they were on the first day
OF last january.
Had 1t net been for the exertions of sena-
tors MeWhorter and Ferguson, not forget
ting the earnest efforts OF Henry O. Conrad,
ESQ.,, Or. Chambers Oolored schools bill
would have shared the same sad fate. The
measure came from the Senate committee
staggering under an unfavorable report. IL
was slowly revived and then narrowly
missed being crippled by amendment cut
ting on the extra $1,000 OF the appropria-
ton. BY strenuous exertion, Messrs.
McWhorter and Ferguson got the appropri-
alton up again to $4,000 and the bill finally
became law,
The Wilmington Board OF Education bills
fell through In the Senate. They had been
pared down In the House SO as to call for
a106,000 0nstead of $l1O,0O0) for the cur
rent expenses OF the fiscal year beginning
with July, and for an addition Of Sl0, 900 to
the building and repair fund during the
fiscal year 1882 and for that year only.
A few minutes after the final adjournment
this afternoon, Mr.. McWhorter received a
Telegram from members OF the board i'm
ploring him to get theSenate, IL possible, to
reconsider Its action, as otherwise the
schools must be temporarily closed for lack
OF fluids. The appeal came too late.
Wilmington Oouncllmen are indebted to
Mr.. McWhorter for the only victory they
have scored over the citizens committee.
II was won In the very last moments Of the
session, and the speech that turned the tide
was the Wilmington senator's closing legls-
lative effort, II, as he has said, he has
neither expectation nor desire to again
serve his constituents at the State capital.
The defeated bill was the one restricting
the compensation OF members OF Council
to $500 per year. IL had passed the House
without much difficulty.
Another incident OF the closing hours OF
the session was Representative Temples
triumph over his fellow townsman, Senator
Cooper, In the matter Of the Kenton cha ter.
This charter has been given prominence
very much In excess OF Its importance to
the people outside of Kenton all through
the session, through the obstinate opposi-
tion OF DR.. Cooper to the will OF the ma
jority of his constituents In the premises.
The main bones OF contention between the
Kentonites and their senator were the pro-
posed town taxation OF some Of his prop.
erty, which he urged should be exempted
as farm land, and the cost Of laying down q
brick pavement alongside the same. But
Representative Temple could be, and
was as determined as the doctor, and
he kept his head better. He meant that the
Kentonites should have the legislation they
wanted or nothing, and, backed by them,
he made Hno compromise" his motto, stuck
to It and "got there.n 1t will be remem-
bered that after DIR. Cooper had gotten IN
his work on the charter in the shape oil
amendments thereto in the Senate, the pro-
Visions OF which were reported Rt the time
the House, on motion of Mr.. Temple. re-
fused to concur In such amendments
'rhara the matter had since rested and the
charter would have fallen through had moi
Mr.. Temple been as wary as he was deter
mined, he caught his senatorial fellow.
townsman mapping this afternoon, and tool
advantage OF his temporary absence TO per
suade the Senate orecede from the amend
ments aforesaid.
There Il room for suspicion of some indi-
rect connection between this Kenton bust.
ness and the failure OF the antl-disorimina-
tlon telephone bill. That bill, after passing
the House all right and receiving two read
ings in the Senate went 70 tie committee al
the Latter body OF which DR.. Cooper is chair
mnn. There It lay until Il newspaper repre-
sentative interested In It's fate tried 70 get II
reported for passage. Ho learned that the
doctor had some oblsctton TO the measure
and, after soma delay, Cleaned from him u
statement OF the nature of that objection
The morning after doing go, he sub
mltted to DR.. Cooper an amend
ment designed to remedy. the dim
GUILTY. The senator from Kenton took
the amendment, promised 10 consider 1t
and the next morning in reply to an inquiry
whether he would report the bill to The
Senate, said he thought he would. Not
doing so during the morning session, the
newspaper representative gently Jogged nj;
memory at the noon recess and, instead o.
receiving direct reply, was taken TO t.sE
for reference to the kenton chatter ln hlt
letter OF the day before. He replied thar ne
had no interest In the Kenton business
beyond fairly reporting what he heard and
saw, and, having done this, decided 20 sa.
nothing more to DR.. Cooper about the Tele
phone bill. Having waited until the elost
Of the session, and the Telephone Dill nav
ing been smothered in committee, ne nov Y
feels called on to make this explanation II
Justice to himself.
There was some Of the customary horse
play In the wind-up Of the session, wbil'
waiting for the completion OF the enrol
ment of the last few bills, chiefly In tn
shape Of burlesque and amusing resolution
which, OF course, did not go on the Jour
nal. Captain Dasey was the father OF tn
most suecessful effort In this llne-a resolu
tlon calling for the appointment OF Join
committee to purchase suitable monument
to be placed In the senatorial cemetery
mark the last restlng-plaoes OF the man
bills consigned to the tomb by that body
Amid much merrlment, the House adopte
the resolution and the speaker appointe
the navigator OF Assawoman Canal CON
mittee Of one to present the resolution
the Senate. This mission Captain Dase
yalorously undertook and sucoessiul
carried out. A few minutes later senator
McWhorter and Lewis entered the Hous
and reported that the Senate had direete
them 70 return the resolution with q ilttlLi
epltaph, delivered by MIR. McWhorter VII
ludierous gravity.
Another hit was Mr.. Mulligan's resolI
ton, instruoting the State treasurer 70 pr
cure piece OF artillery OF sufficient cnilD
and plant the same on Reedy Island, tt
the protection Of the bona tide citizens
the State. This hit at Mr.. Norny was giv,
a boomerang like twist when MIR. WllsS
arose and moved to amend the resolutit
by adding that the Muligan Guards Dc
quired to man the artillery; -. /.
Among other bogus resolutions that 9
livened the occasion was one invitlnB u
members of the House to attenu tne iuhet
OF the High License bill, on Dover gree
another instructing the sergeant 70 enlpt
adrayman to take Mr.. Norny's packages
the station another that tho bachelor cha
" man OF the divorce committee, MIR. McOo
be empoWered to select wife from amo
the women whom the committee hnd U
married. during the session, and stlii u
other thanking James L. Wolcott, de1r
v. Massey, John +. Salisbury and oth.
for constant attendance and unrenltung ll;
tention to the members during tne sessil
During the morning the House killed
Benate bill authorizing the mayor OF "
mington to appoint two detectives, and
bill to lncorporatethe Friendship Hall 60
pany OF the a. II. Lewis Tabernacle OF
Grand United Order OF the Brothers q
Sisters OF Love and Charity. Mr.; Temp
hand was seen In the defeat ot this cnart
as also very shortly afterwards In
slaughter of DIR. Oooper's bill TO anne
section 81, Revised Code.
As the hands OF the clock drew near
the hour for the dissolution OF the Gene
Assembly, Mr.. Mulligan, the youngest me !
Der of the House, offered resolution Y
dering the thanks OF the body 10 epeal
MoCabe for the able and impartial man
In which he had presided. DR.. Ohanul
In a short and graceful speech, put the
ton and the resolution was adopted py
the members rising to their feet. Spea
MeCabe, who comes next to MIR. mulligai
iuniorlty, then said
"Gentlemen Of The House OF lfepreSeI
n tiues: The time has now arrived lor "
adjourn without day. l will say DeIore
ing 80 It Is impossible for me to express
you my sincere thanks for the kindness,
respect and the courtesy which you
extended to me during this session. !
truthfully say this Ia probably one OF
most affecting andimpressive periods o. o.